1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable communication devices including cellular phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), HHPs (Hand Held Phones), camera phones, game phones, Internet phones, and message phones.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the term “portable communication device” refers to an electronic device that a user can carry to perform wireless communication with a desired partner. To facilitate portability, designs of such portable communication devices tend not only to be compact, slim, and light, but are also moving toward providing multimedia availability, having a wider variety of functions. In particular, future portable communication devices are expected to incorporate greater multi-functionality and be capable of multi-purpose utilization, as well as being more compact, light, and capable of being modified to be suitable for various multimedia or Internet environments. Additionally, portable communication devices are now commonly used by people of all ages and all walks of life throughout the world, and are recognized by some people as a nearly indispensable commodity which should be carried all the time.
Portable communication devices may be classified into various categories according to their appearance, such as a bar-type portable communication device, a flip-type portable communication device, and a folder-type portable communication device. A bar-type portable communication device refers to a device having a single housing of a bar-shape. A flip-type portable communication device refers to a device in which a flip is rotatably mounted to a housing by a hinge unit. A folder-type communication device refers to manner in which a folder is rotatably connected to a single bar-type housing by a hinge unit.
Portable communication devices may also be classified into a necklace type portable communication device and a wrist or bracelet type portable communication device according to the position or the way in which users put on the portable communication devices. The necklace type portable communication device refers to a portable manner in which a terminal is worn around a neck of a user using a string. Further, the bracelet type portable communication device refers to a portable manner in which a terminal is worn around a wrist of a user.
In addition, portable communication devices may be classified into a rotation-type portable communication device and a slide-type communication device according to the manner of opening and closing the portable communication device. The rotation-type portable communication device refers to a manner in which two housings are rotatably connected, opposed to each other. The slide-type communication device refers to a manner in which two housings are slid with respect to each other in the lengthwise direction of the device. These variously classified portable communication devices can be easily understood by those skilled in the art.
Meanwhile, conventional portable communication devices now tend to transmit data at a high speed in addition to performing the basic voice communication function. In other words, according to the increase in consumer demand, portable communication devices now tend to provide a service using a wireless communication technology capable of transmitting data at high speed.
Recent portable communication devices also tend to be equipped with a camera lens to obtain video signals for transmission. In other words, current portable communication devices have an external or embedded camera lens module which enables users to perform video communication with desired partners or to photograph desired subjects.
However, according to the conventional portable communication device, since the camera lens is generally fixably mounted to the body, a user cannot photograph a subject conveniently. Especially, since the camera lens employed in the conventional portable device is always exposed, it cannot be protected from the exterior environment. Further, since the camera lens of the conventional portable device cannot be rotated, there is a problem in photographing moving images.